Which term refers to the portion of the tooth that holds it in its bony socket?

Which term refers to the portion of the tooth that holds it in its bony socket?

• A. Root canal
• B. Suture
• C. Root
• D. Sextant

Answer: (C)

The part of the tooth that holds it in its bony socket is the root. It anchors the tooth to the jaw through the periodontal ligament and sits beneath the gum line, extending into the alveolar bone with cementum covering its surface. The root canal, by contrast, is a passage inside the root that contains pulp tissue, not the anchoring structure. A suture is a surgical stitch, used to close tissue wounds, not related to tooth anatomy. A sextant refers to a division of the dental arch used for charting or analysis, not a tooth’s supporting structure.

The part of the tooth that holds it in its bony socket is the root. It anchors the tooth to the jaw through the periodontal ligament and sits beneath the gum line, extending into the alveolar bone with cementum covering its surface. The root canal, by contrast, is a passage inside the root that contains pulp tissue, not the anchoring structure. A suture is a surgical stitch, used to close tissue wounds, not related to tooth anatomy. A sextant refers to a division of the dental arch used for charting or analysis, not a tooth’s supporting structure.